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Is the Government Corrupt?

By A. H. Hotep
September 09, 2000

I have dealt with several of the ministers in both UNC and PNM and they are all hypocrites and by extension corrupt. However, this is not my real reason for responding. I am responding to most people's narrow definition of corruption.

I am quoting you:"Is the Government corrupt?", we might be asking: "Is the party comprising the Government of Trinidad & Tobago in debt to powerful people/organizations and working feverishly to pay them back?"

Corruption is all that denies people the opportunity to learn more and develop themselves. Certainly, the improper administration of resources is denying others the opportunity to develop. It is also corrupt not to account to people about the use of their resources. Taking public resources that are supposed to aid the wider infrastructural and social development of the society and giving it to friends and family for their personal material enrichment is CORRUPTION.

Dissipation and prodigality are vices and are therefore the epitome of corruption.

Not allowing people to participate and take responsibility for their lives is SLAVERY and this is sustained because of the aforementioned vices and the poor quality education systems.

Off course, this level of corruption can only take place because the majority of people in the society are themselves corrupt. They do not know that there are other ways of organising themselves. They do not know how to appreciate their values and as such, they feel powerless.

People who are aware of the varied levels of corruption that keeps the mass of people disenfranchised have a responsibility to share through their examples, a better way of living.

This sharing includes ensuring that people have access to as much information as possible about themselves so that when they are ready they can take steps to first improve their own ideas and behaviors. All people who are aware of this social decadence and do not contribute to sharing better information, ideas and values are the worst of all.

To your other point:"Be honest: if you could give yourself a substantial - retroactive - raise of pay, and nobody could stop you, wouldn't you do it? The question is, would you still do it if a larger number of people and causes were in need of the same money?"

I am sure that the majority of people will go after their personal material riches. However I have been placed in such a position and I refused and reported the incident to the media. The government at the time literally destroyed my businesses because I refused to go along with theft and for reporting them to the public. If I had to do it all over again I would do the same.

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